“It is better that way,” he said when asked to comment on news reports that a show-cause letter would be issued to DBKL for failing to send representatives to a meeting organised by the bureau yesterday.

Zulhasnan said that it had been a practice for the bureau to receive complaints and forward them to the relevant agencies, including the local authorities, which would then act to resolve the complaints.

“I think it is better to let the local authorities themselves handle the complaints,” he said.

He added that the cabinet discussed the matter at its weekly cabinet meeting today and agreed to let the local authorities handle complaints related to their services.

Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department T Murugiah was quoted as saying that the bureau was disappointed as there were no DBKL representatives presence at the meeting, which was to resolve problems faced by the Indian community in Kampung Pandan.

Murugiah said that a show-cause letter would be issued to DBKL.

Zulhasnan said however that there was no need to reply to the letter as the cabinet had already agreed that the local authorities would handle complaints themselves.

Meanwhile, Zulhasnan said, the ministry would spend RM6.2 million to carry out various programmes in conjunction with the Federal Territories Day which falls on 1 Feb.

He said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi would launch the celebration at the Titiwangsa Lake here on 1 Feb while a royal tea reception would be held on 7 Feb, expected to be attended by 3,000 people.

The conferment of awards and medals would take place on 2 Feb at the Istana Negara involving 281 recipients, he said. — Bernama